halfmoon wrote:All this talk of a multi-purpose stadium. We're already in prime position for a multi-use stadium situation.

I still maintain that, when the Dragons become independent of the WRU (which is the ambition), there will come a point where they need other parties to share a stake in the stadium, because it's highly doubtful that they'd be able to do it on their own and stay financially solvent. We need to make sure we're front of the queue to take joint equal ownership of Rodney Parade when that time comes. That's far more realistic a prospect than building our own stadium, either on our own or alongside another sporting outfit that doesn't actually exist.

lowandhard wrote:

halfmoon wrote:All this talk of a multi-purpose stadium. We're already in prime position for a multi-use stadium situation.

I still maintain that, when the Dragons become independent of the WRU (which is the ambition), there will come a point where they need other parties to share a stake in the stadium, because it's highly doubtful that they'd be able to do it on their own and stay financially solvent. We need to make sure we're front of the queue to take joint equal ownership of Rodney Parade when that time comes. That's far more realistic a prospect than building our own stadium, either on our own or alongside another sporting outfit that doesn't actually exist.

I seldom come on here these days but was moved to by this post. I have seen another post on here that seeks to pursue the ownership of our own ground. While that is a laudable ambition , I seriously doubt our ability to achieve, which is not saying I wouldn’t support such a project if it proved feasible/necessary. Having said that I believe the above post is spot on and points out the painfully bloody obvious.

NearlyDead wrote:

lowandhard wrote:

halfmoon wrote:All this talk of a multi-purpose stadium. We're already in prime position for a multi-use stadium situation.

I still maintain that, when the Dragons become independent of the WRU (which is the ambition), there will come a point where they need other parties to share a stake in the stadium, because it's highly doubtful that they'd be able to do it on their own and stay financially solvent. We need to make sure we're front of the queue to take joint equal ownership of Rodney Parade when that time comes. That's far more realistic a prospect than building our own stadium, either on our own or alongside another sporting outfit that doesn't actually exist.

I seldom come on here these days but was moved to by this post. I have seen another post on here that seeks to pursue the ownership of our own ground. While that is a laudable ambition , I seriously doubt our ability to achieve, which is not saying I wouldn’t support such a project if it proved feasible/necessary. Having said that I believe the above post is spot on and points out the painfully bloody obvious.

The danger in this plan (and there are dangers in every plan, or lack thereof, of course) is whether the Dragons, when they go private, will be a going concern in the medium to long term. The history of pro-rugby in Wales since regionalisation suggests this is an unlikely scenario. The converse is also a possibility of course, since football clubs are not paragons of profitability!

Do you have a two-tier structure? The new venture that is "New RP Ltd", with Dragons and NCAFC the level below. Separate boards. If the owners of the ground are the joint venture New RP Ltd, then we'd still effectively be tenants in such a structure (i.e. not too different from our current status). This was a similar set-up with the Dragons and NRFC and RP Ltd, IIRC, and it hasn't done NRFC any favours.

If New RP Ltd is the only part of the enterprise that can raise the capital against the value of the ground to keep one or the other entity solvent or to "invest", what does that do to the other party when the other goes to the begging bowl? The individual entities' holdings in the ground would be in danger of being subsumed in a mounting debt of the other party and possibly lead to both going under. And if there is equal representation on the New RP Ltd board, what happens if the one party vetoes the request to raise capital? A recipe for the constructive bankruptcy of the other party?

Or do you have a one-tier structure with equal ownership and some sort of independent Woarbitration entity to sort disputes? Again, should the need arise to borrow against the value of the ground, where would that put the other party? Better than under a two-tier structure probably, since the debt is accrued only on one side of the venture. But then you have a third interest in the property.